Convertible chair and bed.



H. BITTEL.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR AND BED.

APPLICATION 111.50 MAY 12. 1914.

Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/ T/VESSES:

H. BITTEL.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR AND BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ. :914. 1 154 65 PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

9 9 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

' er e rs e i r cri es HENRY BITTEL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR AND BED.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I; HENRY BITTnL, a citizenof the United States, residing in the city and county of San Franciscoand State of califor'niafhave invented-certain new and usefulImprovements in Convertible Chairs and Beds, of 'which the following isa specification.

The present invention relates to an improvement in combined easy chairand bed and more particularly to a device'wherein the back' isadjustable to an inclinedposition or may lie in a'pl'ane'par'allel tothe plane of the seat.

' The invention has for its principal object's'to 'pro'vide' a"structure wherein the chair side arms'are employed in forming the bed; one inwhich the chair back is supported from beingoverba'la'nced when inhorizontal position by the weight of the user, and one provided with asimple means for readily adjusting the chair backand for also *operating'the support for the same when in afhorizontal position.

*Nith' the above'mentionednnd other objects in view, the device consistsin the novel construction andcombination' of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it being understood th'atva'rious changesinthe form, proportion, sizeand'minor details of construction Within thescopeof the appendedclaims may be resorted to without' departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any ofthe-advantages of the inventionfl m To'more fully comprehend the invention reference should: be had' to theaccompany in'g drawings, 'wherein:''

"Figure '1 is a viewin side elevation of an embodiment illustrating myinvention disclosing theadjustable back in inclined position in dottedlines'and in full lines the device in the 'formof a bed. Fig. 2 isa topplan viewof the device inthe form of a bed, disclosing the position ofthe" side arms when the deviiceisusedasa"bed',"and in dotted lines, theupholstery. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view," disclosing morefully the operating means for the adj usta'ble' back and the support;-Fig.4 is'a "sectional view on line 4"-l :ofi Fig. 2, vdisclosin'g'thestruc ture for operatingithe adjustable backand Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 12, 1914. SerialNo. 838,044.

support therefor. Fig. 5 is a view in detail of one of the rack lockingsprings.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the numeral 1 designates a suitable support forming base consisting ofthe side members 2 and end members 3 which are connected at their endsand which carry the spring supporting frame consisting of the members 4,the construction forming a suitable seat frame upholstered in anysuitable manner, as at l, and provided with casters e 7 A suitable backframe consisting of the side members 5 and end members 6 is'connected atone end by the hinges 7 to the rear of the seat frame at a pointapproximately in line with members 4: of the spring sup porting frame,and said back carries a springsupporting frame consisting of the member4 and is upholstered in any suitable m'anner, as at 7 I Suitable sidearms 8 and 9 are positione on the upper edge of the side members 2 ofthe seat frame and the same carry on their lower edge suitabledowels 10which project into slots or openings 11 formed in the upl per edge ofthe side members and said arms are forced rearwardly in contact with theback when the same is slightly inclined by springs 12, positioned in theslots 11. The

side arms'a're upholstered to correspond with the uph'olstering on theseat and back and to bring the surface thereof level with the 'surfaceof'theseat and back when the arms are employed in connection. therewithin the formation of a bed.

Slidably mounted in guides 13 carried by theside members3 are rack bars14 pivotally connected at one end by a rack link 15 with the sidemembers of the-chair back. The rack bars li-are operated to raise andlower the chair back by suitable cogs 16 and l6 mounted to rotate with ashaft 17 extending transversely of the rear portion of the supportingbase and 'slidablysmounted in the side members 2 thereof "A springlScoiled about theshaft 17 forces the same and the cogs carried thereby inone direction and a handle 19 pivoted tothe opposite end of the shaftand formed with a cam surface 20 thereon which is adapted to be forcedinto contact withone of the side members of the supporting base assists,when pressure is applied thereto, in drawing the shaft in the oppositedirection against the tension of the spring 18.

Suitable spring catches 21 and 22 are adapted to cooperate with theteeth of the rack bars 14 when the cogs 16 are disengaged-therefrom andretain the back in its adjusted position. The catch 21 is carried by aspring 23 mounted in a recess in the side 2 of the frame and is adaptedto be car-.

ried into intermeshing engagement with one of the rack bars 14 by thepressure of said spring when the cog 16 is moved therefromby thepressure of the spring 18. The catch 22 is carried by a bowed springmember 24 pivoted, as at 25, in a recess in the opposite side 2 of theframe, and the lowerend of said member 2% is forced outwardly by aspring 26 so it will be apparent that when the spring 18 operates theshaft 17 and disconnects the cog 16 from the rack bar 14,

, spring frame 4. One end'of the receptacle is provided withsuitable'casters 30 and the same when in its extended position providesa support for the back when in its lowered position and also preventsthe bed from becoming overbalanced by its occupant. If desirable,the bedclothing, when not in use, may be deposited in the receptacle 28.

A foot rest 81 is pivotally mount-ed on a bracket 32 carried by theforward end of a support 33 which is slidably mounted between guides84.- which extend to a point adjacent an opening 35 in the front endwall 3, of the supporting base, and through which said support operates.A closure 36 carried by said support beneath the foot rest is adapted toclose the opening 35 when'the rest is not in use.

lVhen the chair is employed as a bed, the handle 19 is positioned, as'inFig. 2, and is operated'in a counter-clock-wise direction, which willcause the cogs 16 and 16 to-engage with the racks 27 on the receptacleand .move the same outwardly in a position to assistin supporting thechair back when lowered. The handle is now swung to the oppositedirection with the cam portion 20 resting on the outer surface of theside member 2 and pressure being applied to the end of the handle willcause the cogs to cause the back to be gradually lowered over thereceptacle. The arms 8 and 9 are removed from their respective placesand the up between the rear of the supporting base and the forward endof the back and the arm 9 is positioned with its upholstered side up onthe foot rest with the dowels 10 inserted in openings '37 in the frontend member 3. i

It will be apparent that I have provided a chair which is capable ofbeing rapidly and easily converted into a bed; one which when convertedinto a bed is prevented from becoming overbalanced, and one in which theoperatingv of the back and the moving of the receptacle is accomplishedby a single mechanism.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, asupporting base forming a seatframe, a cushion for said frame, a backhinged at its lower end to said supporting base and capable of being.adjusted to a plane parallel therewith,a cushion for said back, saidback cushion adapted when said back is in a substantially verticalposition to overlie the rear edge of said seat cushion, a pair ofcushion members detachably carried by said V arm 8 is positioned withits upholstered side supporting base and forming chair arms,

said arms adapted when said back is adjust ed to a positionapproximately parallel with the seat for' positioning one between theseat cushion and the back cushion and one at the forward edge of theseat cushion for providing a-continuous cushion bed surface.

2. In a device of'the class described, a supporting base forming a chairseat, a chair back hinged at its lower end to said supporting base andcapable of being adjusted. to a plane parallel thereto, a support fortelescoping beneath said chair seat and capable of movement beneath saidback when the same is in its last mentioned position,-a rack carried bysaid chair back, a rack carried by said support, said racks beingarranged one above the other in different vertical planes and with theirteeth disposed toward each other, and a suitable rotatably mounted gearfor engaging, either of said, racks for operating respectively saidhinged back and said support. independently of .each other. 7

3. In a device of the class described, a

supporting base forming a chair seat, a

chair backhinged at its lower end. to said supporting base and capableof being ad justed to a plane parallel thereto, a support fortelescoping beneath said chair seat and capable of movement beneath saidback when the same is in its last mentioned position, a rack carried bysaid chair back, a rack carried by said support, said racks beingarranged one above the other in difierent vertical planes and with theirteeth disposed toward each other, a suitable rotatably mounted gear forengaging either of said racks for operating respectively said hingedback and said support independently of each other, and a spring lockingmember releasable on the movement of said shiftable gear into engagementwith the rack on said support for engaging the rack associated with saidchair back to lock the same 15 HENRY BITTEL.

Witnesses HARRY A. ToT'rEN, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

